Schools in Pajaro Valley Unified · Santa Cruz County

About schools in Santa Cruz County

Seventeen of Santa Cruz County's 67 ranked public schools place in the top quartile statewide — a notably strong showing for a mid-sized coastal county spanning redwood mountains and agricultural lowlands. Pacific Collegiate Charter in Santa Cruz leads the pack at the 96th percentile statewide, with Ocean Grove Charter in Boulder Creek close behind at the 95th. Thirteen districts serve communities as distinct as surf-city Santa Cruz and farmworker-centered Watsonville, and the county's 12 charter schools give families meaningful alternatives to traditional district programs. For parents prioritizing academic outcomes, the breadth of high performers here makes Santa Cruz County well worth a close look.